Students become more interested in learning and retain more
in courses that rely on active rather than passive teaching methods.
Cooperative learning activities can be structured to engage students
toward greater participation in their own education.
We have developed a sourcebook containing a variety of cooperative learning
methods and activities to aid in the teaching of astronomy at the
undergraduate level.
Special effort has been made to include activities that can be used
within the classroom or as a group homework assignment, in courses
with teaching assistants and those without, and in large or small classes.
In addition to reinforcing concepts taught in introductory astronomy,
the activities are structured to strengthen skills associated with
a scientifically literate person.
A goal of undergraduate science education is to produce citizens who
can understand and share in the excitement of scientific discoveries
as well as make informed decisions regarding scientific and
technological issues.

The sourcebook, available in August, 1996, will contain sections
on the advantages/disadvantages of group activities, basic cooperative
learning techniques, in class/out of class activities, and how to use
peer instruction to expose students to the wonderfaul astronomy resources
on the internet.
Each activity includes suggestions to the instructor as to how the
assignment can be incorporated into an introductory astronomy course.